Hyperemesis Support

[LucindaE]

I hope everyone suffering from the Horrors of Hyperemesis will find this thread useful as a source of support and information.

There's no TMI on here - can't be by definition - and nobody should feel ashamed of moaning as much as they feel the need to.

MOH's wonderful website is full of useful information on this illness:
sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/
Another invaluable website is:
www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk/
If you need help in obtaining medication, this phone number is
brilliant:
024 7638 2020

Lastly, the NICE guidelines on treatment are useful:
cks.nice.org.uk/nauseavomiting-in-pregnancy

I would like to thank everyone who has given such invaluable support and advice on this and on previous threads.

Remember when you are at your worst, 'This Too Shall Pass'. It really will.
So many women on this thread have thought they couldn't get through this, but they did.

Hello everyone. I'm so sorry that we have to go through this and I have felt completely defeated by this condition. I am now past the worst but still have a stomach like a washing machine stuck on a spin cycle. Thankfully the vomit has relented.

I just feel to shattered to get out and about and my body feels traumatised if that makes any sense!

My leaflet with this current batch says that metoclopramide is an antiemetic which works by affecting certain areas of the brain but pack 1 said about the stomach emptying - how odd!

once finished at that school but hopefully agency will find me a few days each week at diff schools until Xmas xx

Ican't Oh dear, I so agree with OnceaMeer do get in touch with hospital sooner rather than later. Did they tell you to contact them as soon as the vomiting began again? It's so discouraging. Hoefully, time will improve things.
spandau Sorry you are still suffering full force. I hope you start getting good days soon (I think, you had one weeks ago, and goodness, you are due a lot more).It's dismal that the meds seem not to help at all. That they are talking abut steroids means,then, that they have exhausted all other options?
On the topic of bringing up bile or food, liquids were my preferred option, least uncomfortable...
Charlie You did go to the ball! Well done, very brave.
amysmummy You, Reebok and others are such troopers, battling into school...
Iamdivergent Sorry, I must have been being optimistic for you there! All luck with cutting down on medicine.
Corabell So glad the frequent puking has eased, sorry to hear of Washing Machine Stomach...
Madrigal Added you.
Reebok How was today?
Everyone?
Here's the new list.

Due Dates

Laura 24 November
Chopsface 14 December
Daffodil 14 December
TwoDrifters 4 January
Kayme 28 January
RubyReins 6 February
mrsm14 14 February
Mirabel 19 February
mygreeneyedboy 22 February
BarmeeMarmee 10 March
Bugista 26 March
Shoop 28 March
Reebok 29 April
spandau 5 May
MotherofPearl 7 May
spandau 8 May
ICan't 11 May
Motherof Pearl 12 May.
Madrigal 30 May
lemonslemonslemons 12 June
amysmum 12 June
Iam 22 June

Liquids defo ... and I am considering complan milkshakes for this very reason ;)

Lucinda did you vomit your way through 40 weeks then ?? X

Hi All, not a bad day for me thankfully. Had a rest this afternoon after DS's party and that seemed to keep the 5pm vom at bay.
Thanks for updating due dates list Lucinda (I think you have me down twice though, for my old date of 12 May and my updated one of 7 May ). Reebok, Icant and Spandau, once the November and December babies are out, we'll be moving into respectable mid-table positions
Gosh Icant, it's so bad that you're back to being sick already. Why can't your medical team realise that you need home IV? It seems like they're being wilfully stupid about it. I do feel for you.
How was your visit to your mum's today Reebok? Still no respite for you poor Spandau? Not fair,
Glad you got to enjoy a night out Charlie. It really helps to feel like yourself again sometimes. HG robs us of so much.
Iam, I'm also thinking of trying to reduce my meds. I'm on Ondansetron rather than Meto. Feel like I've been relatively stable for a while now, so thinking of cutting down from 3 to 2 per day. Ealli did you ever cut your dose? Any advice? I figure I can always go back to 3 a day if I relapse.
Oh and like Madrigal and Iam, I far prefer bile sick to food sick! Worst of all though is pure acid sick. That's the pits.
Hope everyone is having a restful evening. What with bring pregnant and the dark nights, I seem to go to bed earlier and earlier at the moment!

I've also been thinking of Shoop and wondering how she is now? Hopefully a little better.

Argh back to the drawing board. I cut out my afternoon dose and I was fine, had dinner about 2 hrs ago but then bam mega vom just 10 minutes ago - I had homemade macaroni bleugh! I'm not going to bother taking the second tablet tonight, doesn't seem much point as I'll be in bed by 9 anyway but obviously they are working for me as apart from one bile episode earlier in the week, I hadn't been sick in just over a week.

MotherofPearl Silly me, I had something I wanted to ask you, and I can't remember what it is. Mother Hen is bird brained.
spandau
No, I can't claim to be one of the brave ones who survive forty weeks of suffering. OnceaMeer is one of those veterans, and survived purperal fever when pregnant, too! I only suffered for a few weeks - refused meds (this was ages ago when doctors were really anti medication) got very ill, staggered to an acupunturist who treated me and said if I didn't stop vomiting water by the end of the day it was fluids for me, but I did, and it improved so much it was gone by fifteen weeks except for awful residual heartburn whichy sometimes made me vomit, and I did have for forty weeks, but that's s much more bearable. I was unlucky in that I was ill with an infection and blood loss after the birth and that seemed to trigger a return of the vomiting for maybe ten days. It was miserable when trying to breastfeet, but don't worry about that happening to you. It's really unusual.

I too refused to take meds or see a GP at the beginning, Lucinda Given that this is my first baby, I was paranoid not to take anything before at least 12 weeks had passed so only started on cyclizine after that. I do wonder if I had caught it earlier, whether it may have made a difference. I didn't really feel too bad until about 9 weeks, I was being sick from week 6 but it was manageable and then weeks 10-15 were absolutely hideous and I really wondered whether I could make it through.

If I'm ever stupid enough to do this again (!) - and I keep saying to my DH "don't let me forget how awful this has been!" - maybe starting on meds earlier might be the answer, who knows.

I'm 35 weeks on Monday and had a midwife appt today. All well, the baby is the right size and position, with a strong heartbeat etc. Just a shame that I woke up, choked, gagged and then strenuously vomited. Aside from that, and the rib pain I can't currently shift, life is ok

Hugs to all!

Lucinda my ultrasound lady said about acupuncture. .. Anyone else ??

Yes acupuncture has been mentioned to me by a few! I just can't afford it :(

I tried acupuncture last time but sadly had no impact for me. But worth a go if you can afford it, as Lucinda says.

Kind of feeling like today was a big mistake. I feel horrid from exhaustion which seems to aggravate the sickness. Plus dd was playing up lots from teething pain/reflux. Should have just stayed in bed!

Icant sorry you're already feeling rough. Hugs.

Spandau you poor thing. Wish you could get some respite. I honestly think being on ondansetron is what has helped me this time. Cyclizine was rubbish last time. Yes the constipation is awful but I will take that over vomiting! Still relying on enemas but I cannot cope with the sickness.

Mop glad you had a better day. I was considering going from 3pills to 2 but don't think I'm quite ready yet. My hours are going to gradually be increased from next week so will wait until the hols.

Two sorry to hear about the vomiting. Iam sorry to hear you were also sick.

Hope everyone is ok. Another day down. Sorry to anyone overlooked.

Ps I think this horrid cold is making me feel worse plus the insomnia!

reebok yeah the cold will be making you worse. insomnia is an absolute beast too. Those + HG + normal preg strain all coming together is really an awful lot

OnceaMeer is one of those veterans, and survived purperal fever ... the Pipsqueak is extraordinarily lucky to be here after that and while I'm kind of over it now, if I have to talk about it it's still hard not to get a bit overcome. I do wonder if HG weakened my immune system leading to increased susceptability to the sepsis, which was triggered by the CVS test. Harmony was unavailable then where I live.

spandau there have been a very few ladies who have had the upchucks the entire way through but I think that that is very rare. (mother hen will know much better) I forget every name now but there was a lady not so long ago who was on steroids and specialist consultant treatment the whole time ... a couple of others .. and very very unlucky lady who was hospitalized most of the time and who sadly lost her baby and nearly her life due purely to HG. Still think of her sometimes.

However, those are the extreme end. Most people improve very significantly by 22 weeks and even those who still get the N & V are way better. It can return later on, but it's never as bad as the 1st 20 weeks.

twodrifters the rib pain could possibly be a pulled muscle? it can happen if you're vomming specially if you are in a slightly twisted position or it's very violent sickness. It does heal, though it's painful for while

mop I did gradually reduce the ondansetron, with success. Started with dropping my afternoon dose (was on 4mg at 6 am, 2pm and 10pm) but in the knowledge that if I felt awful I could take it at any time - some days I'd end up taking it (usually between 4.30 and 6.30) and then my normal whom dose to help me sleep. Gradually I didn't need the 2pm dose at all and moved to 8am/pm. Ondansetron works within 15/20 minutes, so I always knew that should I feel awful I wasn't far aware from feeling better if needed to take the pill. I then did 8pm/am for a good few weeks til the last few weeks when I dropped to one when necessary (I think it averaged out at 3 days in 5 I'd have a tablet). It did take me a while with each drop to establish it, so take your time and don't see it as a defeat if you end up backing off for a few days before trying again.

Hooe everyone else is Ok, worrying about icant. As others have said, please contact hospital before vomiting becomes awful again.

spandau you really are due some better days now, I really hope they come soon.

I wonder if hg is hereditary? My sister was hospitalised from pretty much start to finish with it... Thankful that mine isn't any where near that severe but it got me thinking... Then again I'm one of seven, my mum never really got anything more than ordinary sickness, nor my other two sisters... #morningponderings

Ealli, thanks for advice about Ondansetron reduction. Afternoon is my worst time so I'm dropping my morning dose (starting today - eeek!), which I usually take at 7:30. Will keep my 12pm and 5pm doses, and as you say if I feel bad on 2 tablets I can also go back to 3 for a few days.
Amys, there certainly seems to be quite strong evidence that HG runs in families. MOH who used to be on the old thread (and I think who set up Pregnancy Sickness Support - is that right Lucinda?) came from a family where all the women suffered from bad HG and I think she looked at some research which suggested a heriditary link.
Reebok I really hope you're staying in bed today. You'll feel better when your cold lifts. Mine took a week to go and I feel a lot better now it has.
Icant, how are you now?

amys as MoP says it does seem to tend to run in families yeah. I wonder if it could be through the father's line even? Not in touch with my genetic father but iirc my genetic mother wasn't excessively sick

Reebok You poor thing, what a horrible start to the day.
Ican't How are things now? sapndau?
Great advice from eallison OnceaMeer and others.
Fascinating discussion, this, about hereditary and pre-emtive meds and the worst cases (who are the minority; and it's no comfort knowing you're in an unlucky minority).
TwoDrifters You were brave to try and soldier on. I put my anecdote badly; I wasn't brave enough to refuse meds when it hit at ten weeks (being latish, that's a sign it wouldn't be so severe). I went to ask for cyclizine, which I'd heard was safe, but the doctor refused and didn't check my urine . That was a long time ago, and hopefully attitudes have changed a lot now. That led to the acupunture visit out of desperation more than anything. I was very lucky it worked so well, but sadly that does seem to be unusual, and it ate up a huge chunk of savings. I do think it ought to be available on the NHS because while it might not stop things for a lot of women, it might well help make massive deterioration admissions less likely and so be economical. But as MotherofPearl says, it didn't do a lot for her, sadly. Interestingly, acupunture has never remotely helped my migraines.
OnceaMeer I hope it wasn't distressing to you my mentioning that awful episode. I think Kalidsada and Ican't are the two worst cases I remember, and the other woman who suffered so horribly only to have a miscarriage.
OnceaMeer and amysmummy and MotherofPearl I think it was Kalidasa who had a family who all had it. My mother and grandmother were in the Infuriatingly Healthy Pregnancy Camp. I only know there is an hereditary link, as with migraine, diabetes, etc, but not how far it's been proved.
amysmummy How awful for your poor sister. That must have been a terrible case. I wish she had been a member of this thread, and we could at least have cheered her on. Knowing that, it was brave of you to go for it yourself.

Well, I skipped my morning dose and didn't vom, but did notice the nausea was a lot worse. Ended up taking my 12pm dose at 11:30 as started to panic. Felt able to eat by 12, so have had a little of the casserole I made. Suspect I'll need to move forward my next dose too. Ah well.

Well done on not vomiting yet Mop. Will keep my fx for you.

I think there's definitely a hereditary link. My mum had it with all of us really badly, two sisters escaped it with mild nausea/morning sickness and the other two had hg like me. My mums sisters also had it which makes me think poor dd is likely to suffer if she chooses to have children.

Feeling rough today with my cold. Trying to rest but home alone with dd who is once again playing up as oh is working weekends again. Not able to cut down on meds yet but curious to see how you go about doing it Mop. On a positive note I managed some mash with ketchup and fish cake which is real progress as I've been surviving on cheese toast, rich tea biscuits and tuna or cheese sandwiches. Fruit seems to be a big no for me these days!

Reebok Sorry to hear about LO and OH. That is a massively strong hereditary link in your case. I hope the puking is still abating despite your fatigue. You mentioned another genetic factor earlier that meant you couldn't be prescribed steroids?

MotherofPearl If it does get too bad, don't force yourself to give them up too early. Nobody likes being on medication, even while knowing it is proven safe, but it can't be helped often.

Lucinda. My dear nephew is now 30, I don't think the internet was about when my sister had it, haha x